Liu Jingzhen (1st L, front), chairman of Sinopharm, participates in a meeting with South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo (center, front). [Photo/sinopharm.com]

Liu Jingzhen, chairman of China National Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd (Sinopharm), recently participated in a meeting with South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, where he spoke on behalf of the Chinese delegation and made suggestions for future collaboration between China and South Korea in the field of life and health. 

During the event, the prime minister spoke highly of Sinopharm's contributions to the economic, social and health sectors in both countries.

The Chinese delegation participates in a meeting with South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. [Photo/sinopharm.com]

Sinopharm is the world's largest comprehensive medical and health industry group, and the world’s first pharmaceutical enterprise with record-breaking revenue exceeding $100 billion. It ranks 80th on the 2022 Fortune Global 500 list, owns over 1,800 member companies and 11 listed entities, and employs a workforce of 250,000, Liu said. 

He emphasized Sinopharm's pivotal role in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that the company has supplied tens of billions of anti-pandemic materials and over 3.5 billion doses of vaccines worldwide, and has made unique contributions to protecting the lives and health of people in various countries and to building a community with a shared future for mankind. 

Upholding the philosophy of "putting people and their lives first, all for health, health for all", Sinopharm has focused on the entire human life cycle and deployed its efforts in the four strategic fields of biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, life and health and healthcare. 

The company has been dedicated to building 10 life, medicine and health industry chains, including the biopharmaceutical, chemical pharmaceutical, modern traditional Chinese medicine, medical devices and life and health industry chains, and has emerged as a crucial force in safeguarding global health, Liu added. 

To promote future collaboration between China and South Korea in the life medicine and health sectors, Liu suggested that the South Korean government and industry associations continue enhancing communication between leading pharmaceutical companies of both nations, and emphasized the need for ongoing efforts to establish a mutual recognition system for drug registration standards. 

He encouraged pharmaceutical companies from both countries to broaden their cooperation in such areas as biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, medical aesthetics, and health products. 

This initiative will involve integrating advanced South Korean technologies and high-quality products into the vast Chinese market while reciprocally introducing premium Chinese products, including vaccines, chemical intermediates and active pharmaceutical ingredients, into the South Korean market, ultimately enhancing the well-being of people from both nations.